Self-Employed Drivers Face Double Squeeze on Fuel Costs

Key Details Ride-share drivers, delivery contractors, and self-employed professionals are being hit hard by rising fuel prices. Uber driver Leslie Sherman-Shafer in the San Francisco Bay Area now pays $40 to fill her Toyota Corolla, up from $25 before recent geopolitical tensions spiked oil costs. Nearly 27% of civilian workers cite driving as a job requirement, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Why It Matters Unlike company employees with fuel reimbursement programs, independent contractors absorb gas price increases directly. Sherman-Shafer noted that most passengers don't adjust tips to compensate for higher expenses. She's now working extra hours just to break even on fuel costs. Company Response Some businesses are taking action. Alpine Maids in Denver pays workers 72.5 cents per mile using the 2026 federal mileage rate, but that reimbursement buys less gas now. Owner Chris Willatt reduced office visits from daily to weekly and rerouted assignments to cut driving distances. Pet care business owners like Molly Kenefick are raising their own gas reimbursement rates to help workers. Bottom Line Without standardized fuel cost adjustments built into their compensation, independent drivers face shrinking profits during volatile energy markets. Many are either absorbing losses or seeking ways to reduce miles driven per shift.